


Tribute

by Swashbuckler



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Character Study, Dysfunctional Family, Gen, Hero Worship, Needles, Post-Episode: s04e11 The Elongated Knight Rises, References to Canon, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 06:57:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20271829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swashbuckler/pseuds/Swashbuckler
Summary: Axel has a tattoo on his left wrist.





	Tribute

**Author's Note:**

> As per the tags, this little fic discusses Axel both having and giving himself a tattoo, so if you are squeamish about that and/or needles, some discretion is advised! ^^"

Axel has a tattoo on his left wrist. Like his hand painted shirt and his bleached hair, he did it himself, taking to his skin with a pot of black ink and a needle as anyone else might have done with a biro when bored.

It wasn’t all done in one go; he’d collected ink on his wrist in bursts, icons and fragments of patterns gradually spreading up his forearm over time. Narrow stripes of bare skin split up by parallel lines of black. Patches of checkers that shatter out of them. Tiny black stars that orbit the rest.

Simple, familiar stuff. Important stuff.

He hadn’t thought to add to it after being broken out of Iron Heights the first time, he’d had other things on his mind - all he wanted was to find his dad - but a few days later, he was back behind bars and all he wanted was a needle.

When he can finally add to it he’s back in his plaid and his greasepaint and boots, hunched forward on someone’s sofa - he’s not sure exactly whose and it’s not like it matters anyway - with his wrist balanced on his knee and he knows Cold is watching him even if he’s very good at making it look like he’s not while he talks with his sister.

Any other time he’d be listening in, but right now he’s busy. This is important.

The fresh, darker ink looks so much brighter than the old stuff it overlaps with. That’s good; he doesn’t want this getting lost amongst the other bits.

When he’s done, his collection of ink has a new constellation of diamonds claiming space amongst the checks and stripes. Some are solid black, while others are made of crisp outlines that hang like picture frames over his veins.

He likes it. He reckons his mom will too.

**Author's Note:**

> _tribute (noun):_  
\---an act, statement, or gift that is intended to show gratitude, respect, or admiration.
> 
> * * *
> 
> A little fic exploring an idea I had for DCTV Axel having a tattoo. :)
> 
> The checks and stripes that Axel has on his own costume have been taken directly from James' costume from his second appearance in the 90s show. While James did have diamonds on his costume from his first appearance (that Zoey's costume was essentially identical to), Axel's 2014 costume doesn't feature them, instead referencing the second costume exclusively.
> 
> Thus, as Zoey's costume from her appearance in 4x11 features a good number of diamonds, I thought Axel would associate them exclusively with his mum. :)


End file.
